sociology & social policy Flashcards
what is social policy
- –> the actions governments take in order to influence society, or to the actions opposition parties and ‘social movements’ ( Marxism and Feminism) propose to do if they were to gain power.
- –> distribute resources to provide services, facilities n opportunities to meet human need & promote wel being
what is social problem & sociological problem
- social problem = social behaviour that cause public or private misery & calls for collective action to solve it
- -that is harmful to society - sociological problem = pattern of relationships that calls for sociological explanation
- – social or theoretical issue that needs explaining
how does sociology contribute to social policy
mcneil
- give awareness of cultural differences - see society from diff view
2, give self awareness & understanding = why we behave n positions
—> modernity allow people to develop self awareness n understanding of position by reflection
—> reflecting on issues like racism can empower those facing it = encourage people to form support n pressure groups to address needs with evidence n pressure on gov to implement them - MCNEIL change assumptions = indirectly influence social policy by being absorbed from common sense assumptions in society’s dominant culture
- –> make gov social policies seem acceptable or ridicule
e. g policy tackling crime by locking up everyone with specific body type (more prone to crime) face ridicule but one based on social facilities for youth to divert them from crime = sensible - provide theoretical framework for policy adopted by gov
- –> conservative gov influenced by new right ideas of murray - poverty n underclass savage cuts in benefits & fundings & attacks on poor
- –> new labour supported giddens - policys around social cohesion n solidarity = reduce social problems to social order
how does sociology contribute to social policy (2)
- provide practical professional knowledge; work in other areas like social work, town planning, human resources = give professional input as social policy
- –> sociologists employed as civil servants in gov departments n home office - role in shape n evaluate policy e.g home office helped improve validity of crime stats of brit crime survey - identify social problems
- provide evidence
- identify unintended consequences of policies - evaluate policies to see any unusual result
9, assess results if it worked, achieved goal or need changing’/ scrapping
functionalist view
Durkheim
comte
- –> purpose is to analyse social issue & give solutions
- –> enable institution to make changes for society to run harmonious society
- –> permissive social policy threaten social traditional values
- –> advocated for abolition of inheritance of wealth - make society meritocratic
- —> PARSONS- promote trad values - trad family nuclear & encourage competition & individual achievement in education
- –> policies to increase social solidarity = reduce suicide n crimes
—> COMTE believed scientific sociology used to promote progress n act like ‘priesthood’ to guide gov to make society better than religion
—> tend to support status quo - institutions seen vital for efficient functioning of society
neoliberalism & new right
—> see free market capitalist economy as solution to most social problems
& minimal state intervention in economy
—> policies undermine traditional nuclear family=disapproved lone parent families
—> HAYEK; advocate minimal state intervention = more involved in economy - more state run in interests of state employees = inefficient economy become
—> free markets produce greater efficiency - competition ensure most successful companies making products will survive & reduce inefficiency
—> state control - centralisation of power & lack of democracy but free markets allow decentralisation of power - in hands of consumers
influence of neoliberalism & new right sociology
-MURRAY = underclass develop - welare benefits created dependency culture - conservatives follow theory = cut down unemployment benefit to make it less attractive
0 policies to crime influenced y right realist
WILSON & KELLING = advocated zero tolerance = help communities that suffer from low social control to clam down heavily on those who breaklaw
social democratic views
- –> based upon economic ideas to criticise new right/neoliberals by arguing that mixed economy is necessary
- –> mixed economy = goods n services produced by private business n others by state
- –> capitalist economiees will produce excessive inequality = equality of opportunity undermined = children of rich get unfair advantage over others = conflict in social class
—> townsend’s relative poverty = income inequality = exclusion from society
influence of social democratic perspective
- –> tony blair = third way - combine left& right wing thinking - neoliberalism& social democracy
- –> promoted view of giddens that democracy & capitalism should be combined
e. g health & education still be funded by state but opened up to private companies to offer efficient services - –> black report identified cultural n structural causes of inequalities to health = asked for solution to reduce divide - tackle poverty & low income
e. g recommend free school meals
left realist
- –LEA & YOUNG = result of local victim survey to put forward solution to reuce crime - state intervention & community involvement essential to halt spread in crime
e. g encourage closer partnership with police n local communities - – strong case for fewer custodial sentence n more community service orders
marxist
- –> sociological ideas should be used to transform society by producing radicall different social policies
- —> society run in interests of ruling class interests from power of ownership of means of poduction
- – state part of supersructure of society n acts in interests of RC= policy design to favour them
e.g education system bias in favour of those from rich background
welfare state limited
influences of marxism
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feminism
- –> overthrow patriarchal societies & replace with radically diff societies = women not subservient to men
- –> women supremacy- taking control, advocate separatism to free them from patriarchy
- –> radical feminist help highlight domestic violence & sexual violence against omen; campaigns led improvement of policing of crimes
—> liberal feminist - advocate gradual change to create equal opportunities
—> socialisation for girls n boys, new legislation to create equal opportunities, positive discrimination favour women when underrepresented in sphreres of social life
—> equal pay act & legislation outlaw discrimination of sex
changes to school curriculum
view should not be involved in social policy research
- –> sociological research may producing findings opposed to interest of gov or challenge existing policies = throw up dysfunctional aspect screate social problems
- –> risk too close involvement mean policy making becomes driving force of sociology = sociology reduced to political arm of gov & serving its needs
- –> gov pick n choose which research evidence to accept n ignore but sociologist cant do some
- –> sociologist have diff concepts of social problems & measures to solve them in contrast to people with power = risk putting unreasonable compromises n deal with symptoms of problem than problems itself
- –>e.g view of marxist n radical fem - most social problems in social inequality/ patriarchy - only racial change need rather than few new policy initiatives to resolve
postmodernist view
- –> sociology should not be involved in policy research = no contribution to make policy-making
- –> sociology only provides interpretation f world than universal truth or firm evidence on which policy shoyld be based
- -> BAUMAN - sociology only provide commentary on social life but doesnt possess monopoly of wisdom to understand society
- –> sociologist give own interpretations = impose their view of reality
- –> role to contribute not formation of social policy to social understanding & tolerance by enabling people to understand themselves & others in social context
